The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bracteantha plant, botanically known as Bracteantha bracteata and referred to by the name xe2x80x98Redbrabroxe2x80x99.
The new Bracteantha is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Redland Bay, Queensland, Australia. The objective of the program is to create and develop Bracteantha cultivars with a compact growth habit, numerous inflorescences with attractive involucral bract coloration, and long-lasting inflorescences.
The new Bracteantha originated from a cross by the Inventor of a proprietary selection of Bracteantha bracteata identified as code number 95-155, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Bracteantha bracteata identified as code number 95-148, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Bracteantha was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Redland Bay, Queensland, Australia in 1997. The selection of the new Bracteantha was based on its golden orange-colored involucral bracts and compact growth habit.
Asexual reproduction of the new Bracteantha by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Redland Bay, Queensland, Australia, has shown that the unique features of this new Bracteantha are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Bracteantha has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, photoperiod, and water and nutritional status without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Redbrabroxe2x80x99 and distinguish the new Bracteantha as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact and bushy growth habit.
2. Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant form.
3. Freely-flowering habit.
4. Large inflorescences with golden orange-colored involucral bracts and orange-colored disc florets.
5. Strong peduncles that hold inflorescences above the foliage.
Plants of the new Bracteantha can be compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 95-155. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Redland Bay, Queensland, Australia, plants of the new Bracteantha differed from plants of the selection 95-155 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Bracteantha have larger inflorescences than plants of the selection 95-155.
2. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha are round in shape whereas inflorescences of the selection 95-155 are star-shaped.
3. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha have more involucral bracts than inflorescences of the selection 95-155.
4. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha have golden orange-colored involucral bracts whereas inflorescences of the selection 95-155 have red-colored involucral bracts.
Plants of the new Bracteantha can be compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 95-148. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Redland Bay, Queensland, Australia, plants of the new Bracteantha differed from plants of the selection 95-148 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Bracteantha have larger inflorescences than plants of the selection 95-148.
2. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha are round in shape whereas inflorescences of the selection 95-148 are star-shaped.
3. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha have more involucral bracts than inflorescences of the selection 95-148.
4. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha have golden orange-colored involucral bracts whereas inflorescences of the selection 95-148 have pink-colored involucral bracts.
Plants of the new Bracteantha can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Sunraysia Splendour, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Redland Bay, Queensland, Australia, plants of the new Bracteantha differed from plants of the cultivar Sunraysia Splendour in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Bracteantha have a more upright plant habit than plants of the cultivar Sunraysia Splendour.
2. Inflorescences of the new Bracteantha have golden orange-colored involucral bracts whereas inflorescences of the cultivar Sunraysia Splendour have yellow-colored involucral bracts.